Friday, June 6, 2014

All-Mecklenburg football player and Clemson recruit Van Smith has transferred from West Mecklenburg to Hough, his father told the Observer Friday.

Van Smith Sr., who was defensive coordinator at West Meck for three seasons, said his family has moved into the Hough district. He said the family wanted to live near the lake. Smith Sr. said his son was looking forward to the challenge of joining a team that was 10-2 last season and is expected to challenge Mallard Creek for a MECKA 4A conference championship this fall.

"Van is a competitor," Smith Sr. said. "I know he has to go there and compete. The plan is to graduate early (in December), so he has to go through one semester there and start his collegiate career at Clemson if all goes well."

ESPN ranks Smith as the No. 16 player in the class of 2015 in North Carolina. Smith is a 5-foot-11, 172-pound junior who plays multiple positions. He's being recruited as an athlete. He had scholarship offers from Duke, Kansas State, N.C. State, Penn State and Vanderbilt, among others.

Van Smith Sr. said he would continue to work at West Mecklenburg, but would not return as a coach.

"I've coached for 25 years," he said. "It's time for me to be a dad."

West Mecklenburg coach Jeff Caldwell said losing Smith would hurt.

"It's a big loss," said Caldwell. "It's a big change to lose a kid like Van. That's the kind of kid that doesn't come along but every so often. He's always positive, never a problem. He's a got a great personality. He's a role model. He gets along great with kids here, there's no tension (about the move). He still loves his teammates. It was a family decision."

Caldwell said his team would return five offensive starters and three on defense from last year's 9-3 team. He graduated two major college recruits in QB Jalan McLendon (N.C. State) and Shaun Wilson (Duke). Eight other West Mecklenburg seniors have signed with colleges.

Caldwell has hired former Providence Day assistant Ben McGarrity to be his new defensive coordinator. Another former Providence Day assistant, Andy Kiker, will join the staff to coach the defensive line. Former Olympic assistant Zach Griffin will coach offensive and defensive lines.

"We've got some positive momentum here and we want to keep it going," Caldwell said. "We've got a lot of good athletes and some of them played varsity last year but didn't have to start because of the guys we had, but they played good minutes and now they get to show what they can do. I feel really good about the winter and spring we had as far as lifting and putting things together. We're moving forward."

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comments:

Anonymous
said...

Challenge Mallard Creek???? How about winning a playoff game first. Great athlete but once again another transfer skill player......Listen clearly...Hough you have questionable toughness in your front 7. Fix that before talking about challenging MC.

LOL! Here we go again? They will be in the paper every week. I know the parents at Hough have got to be tired of these no playoff win all stars coming in, and taking there kids spots on the field. Early prediction 4th in the conference...You are not a football team Hough.

I agree . "For what?" Even if he moved, doesn't CMS have a senior year exception that would allow him to stay at the school he has attended all of high school for his senior year. Sounds like he's leaving a program already decimated by graduation for a team whose grass is greener.

Indy,Butler,MC,All have built Football teams and programs and represented the City of Charlotte, as State Champions. Now Hough believes they can recruit a Team and become State Champs. If it was that easy, everybody would be doing it. A hard head make a soft AAAAAA....Good luck Hough! We are going to kick your tails when you come to AL.Brown

No my son does not play football. I was a strong supporter of the Booster Club. I Chose not to be affiliated with some of the very poor decisions that the administration is blatantly letting the Football program get away with. My advice to you guys. Get your kid's some counseling early. You guys are living a pipe dream. MC is your least worry. Vance,AL.Brown, Hopewell are going to give you a game.

I like how Mallard Creek likes to put themselves on the level of Independence and Butler after winning one ring.You guys are cheaters! you just recently had to forfeit a season because you were playing illegal players.

Ok so you're telling me mallard creek doesn't recruit? They have more out of state kids on their roster than Duke. If you ain't cheating you ain't trying is written on the inside of the mallard creek helmets. Be real people.West Meck has a Lousy head coach! Roster full of D-1 recruits and you lose twice to providence. The coach sucks. I could name at least 5 other area coaches who would have taken that same west meck team to the state chamIpionship. I bet the smith kid is not the only one leaving West Meck which is nicknamed What The Heck for a reason.

OK now you guys are really Nutts! Now West Meck should have played in a State Championship game? HOW? WHEN? WHY?

Why are you guys so obsessed with MC? Do you not realize that you have disrespected the entire conference and every team in the MECKA has you guys circled on there schedule. Where is the Humility? How does one become so arrogant without winning anything? We will have a hard time attempting to beat MC, but we can definitely beat Hough.

West Meck lost to us, because we man handled those d1 athletes. You guys were soft. Don't blame it on coaching. The Hough Chickens were going to get some also, but they decided not to play us this year.

So Hough has put up Bulletin Boards around the lake about the 9 players returning on defense. MC had over 400yds rushing against those same players. Fast forward now your State Champ contenders. You're going to beat Butler who brings everybody back, and MC who will look like a SEC team?

sounds like sour grapes to me ,,Hough has came to some standing in the Charlotte area to fast for your liking..problem for you haters is now they have the best Coach hands down in the charlotte area..they will challenge..they are a threat and you haters know it ,,that's why the animosity

What's being overlooked among all the trash talking is tha Smith is a good , humble kid who is a great student first and a very good football player second. I'm a Clemson alum and we're excited about getting Van. Go search online and you won't find nothing but good things about the kid. I don't care who the kid laces up with. Just hoping he continues to be successful on and off the field. Go Clemson

I think a major point is being missed here. A child has put forth the effort to excel in academics (Van's GPA is much better than a 2.1) and a sports program! Welcome to the LKN area Smith Family! We look forward to continuing to cheer on the Huskies!

anyone who wants to believe that him along with the other 9 or 10 kids that have now shown up that used to play at other schools is just a coincidence is simply kidding himself. As a parent I try an teach stuff like sportsmanship and integrity but I wont allow my son to be part of this scam. Feel sorry for the children who put the time and effort in on the practice field only to have kids with guaranteed starting positions just show up out of the blue. Very disheartening and hopefully between calls and emails to CMS this stuff will stop before the season gets going.

Wow this is sad. There obviously smoke in this situation. I hope CMS steps in soon. Do not need another athletic scandal in the system. Looks like the common theme is this AD who was at West Charlotte. How do these people co to he to get jobs like this.

Let me tell all of you a couple things!! First off,this is my nephew you're talking about!! Van is just not a football player,he's a human being just trying to better his self no matter where he's at!! Its in his blood to be a winner!! I'm pretty sure 90% of you commenting on this article never strapped it up and took the field but always have the most to comment!! Continue to be great Neph and stay humble!!!! #ClemsonTigers!!!

I'm just glad to see that some of you acknowledge that there is recruiting in public schools. You've been using the parochial schools as that whipping boy for years. Why don't you vote to exclude public schools that recruit from the NCHSAA like you did the parochials?

Bear, hitman act like men! You guys are constantly being negative and trying to bring down high school kids! Get a life! So what if his family chose to move him his senior year, it's their business and no one else's. This is not carolina varsity,grow some!

Trust me when I say this. I don't hide behind threads unlike you..I have addressed this issue. How would you know anything about being a man. Men sign there name behind there thoughts. Cowards hide? THE HITMAN

What's going on at this school is so much bigger than a Kid who has a scholarship and going to Clemson. There is a very dark cloud over this schools football program, and everything that happens good with this Team will be frowned upon.

Well I wasn't a Hough fan before but after reading all the hateful comments on here I have to say "Go Hough". A parent moves his child to a better situation and it creates this kind of vile reaction? I'm not understanding the venom. Much success to Van Smith, who if you ever met him you too would come away a fan cause he's a great kid. I've had the opportunity to meet him a couple times and he's very humble. Any team that gets him will be better for it. And high praise to Dad for doing what you thought was best for your son. In most situations they call that great parenting. Putting our children in the best possible position to be successful. Great job Dad and Son.

Little to do with parenting or simply one player. This is a coordinated effort to attempt to build a super team by one of the famous NFL dads that also controls the Elite NC 7 on 7 squad with school approval. This is the Miami Heat at a prep level with students who have been in place for 3 years now being told to take a back seat so the all stars can all play together. West Meck, Davidson day, Southlake Christian, Concord, Gastonia-forestview. Look at the NC Elite roster and you will find multiple kids now transferring in to Hough. Taking their talents to the lake. AD will skirt this one as well because his cell phone and email will stay clean because it is all done just at arms reach. Funny what adults will do to win a childs trophy.

They better find more than 9 to 10 players if they won't to compete with MC. I took my son to a Wake Forest camp this past weekend. There were a group of kids taking pictures. I believe them to be kids that were bonding friendships during the camp. My mouth dropped when I found out, they all attended MC. Huge would be a under statement.

Its real simple coach Smith takes his son to hough. Not because he wanted to live on the lake but cause he's a selfish ego maniac...son already has a ride to Clemson so you remove him from a school where he's a 3yr starter. Cause you wanted to move to the lake..I'm not buying it its bigger than that doesn't add up.moving to the lake on ec teacher salary you must be planning to live out of your car...#

I've been following west meck since the,80'sI'm alumni...teams been pretty good last 2 seasons. But as good AS they claim this kid to he's only ranked top 16 in the state..not the country so what's all the fuss about..not to mention the playoff game they lost this year it was this same VAN kid fumbled late in the 4th qt that caused them to lose....talk about a clutch gamer... #overrated

Van Smith got discovered cause Shaun Wilson was so great. Wilson made Smith relevant.that's who we came to watch not Smith.Now with Wilson gone the pressure is on this hyped transfer who didn't even make all Mecklenburg team.so why all the average kid average speed.maybe drinking that lake water will make him faster.highly unlikely now he goes to another team were he still had to play second fiddle to a true star in Mark fields an all American

The problem here is what has plagued HS Basketball for years and Langston knows this....The 7 on 7 Teams in Football are no more than the AAU Basketball System which pulls kids away from there HS Team and they ultimately are under the influence of the 7 on 7 Coaches. The Hough situation does not suprise me especially if they have a 7 on 7 Team unofficially atttached to the program. It is not illegal but is working the gray area of integrity. One thing to note is these teams are comprised of skill players which is why you see so many skill guys moving to the school because they like playing with each other so why not do it in on the same HS. The problem is the rest of the team and its chemistry suffers. They may be loaded at all of the skill positions but if they do not have the Lineman and toughness that is needed to make a team it will not matter.

My kid goes to hough and this isn't sitting well with our family. My son had played there the last two years.I've just had a phone conversion with superintendent Morrison voicing our concerns about the NC elite 7 on 7 teams and it's recent transfers to the school investigation on the way

Every School in CMS gets kids that move from out of State, or parents move to a new district. It's when you go out and make it a part of the news, like HOUGH has, that start raising some concerns. Why HOUGH? Why not Rocky River, Both programs opened the same year. Rocky River has had much more success. They would have a much better chance in winning than Hough? Why did these players all show up at HOUGH? Rocky River had better players than Smith re-locate. They did not call the observer to make a story out of it. What is he going to do when he arrives at Clemson and find out. He's not as good as DADDY thinks he is?

Hey west meck alum if that's how you talk about a player who helped you to 2 pretty good seasons then no wonder west meck has the problems it has. If you watched their games last year then you know the Smith kid is a baller. When was the last time west meck had a Clemson recruit? This is a kid who worked his way from coulwood middle to receiving a scholarship to an elite program in Clemson. He's an excellent student who was an asset to west meck high. I don't know what kind of alum you are but I cheer for all kids to do well especially at my alma mater. Hell for that matter when was the last time you donated time or money to the school.

All this hype behind van Smith the same kid that got torched by the providence high receiver #5 Ricky propel's son.. That kid went to unc wore the Clemson kids ass out that day...hope he's learned to cover 1 on 1 since that clinic. Go hough lmao

This is Van Smith sr. Speaking all you haters keep hating.don't worry If Hough high boosters. Are giving us money we need it and Hough High is a pit stop on our to Clemson. Were Van will start rb as a true freshman. So keep hating mallard creek y'all ass is grass. My son Van will lead Hough to there first state championship ring. And to who ever said Mark fields was better than you have list your dam mind

Hough will be no where close to butler or MC. Good thing hough will play independence either week 3 or 4 so we get a measuring stick of where they are at as we all know indy is a really good proven program.

Van Smith will add some talent to the secondary of hough. They will be a decent team and possibly win second in their conference. They are not competing with the creek no matter what. And the better watch out for AL Brown and Vance.

I believe there will be 3 teams better than hough this year, which hints they will be strong since charlotte is a strong area for 4aa football. Butler, Mallard Creek, and Independence will all be better. Indy and hough play early in the year which should be a good one.